Designing a Transparency-Based Social Responsibility Model with Emphasis on the Digital Media Ecosystem (Case Study: Resalat Qard al-Hasan Bank)
Keywords:
Social responsibility, transparency, media, digital banking ecosystemAbstract
Corporate social responsibility is recognized as a key factor in branding and strengthening public trust. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying the components of transparency-based social responsibility within the digital ecosystem of Resalat Qard al-Hasan Bank. With the expansion of digital platforms, transparency in reporting and digital interactions has become a fundamental challenge for financial institutions. This study employed a quantitative, applied, and survey-based research design. The conceptual model was developed based on a literature review and directed content analysis. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, whose validity was confirmed through construct validity and whose reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha (0.82). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling in AMOS software and a one-sample mean test in SPSS. The statistical population consisted of managers and experts of Resalat Qard al-Hasan Bank. A random sample of 265 participants was selected. The main instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire designed based on components identified from the literature and included nine main components. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling (second-order factor analysis) and a one-sample mean test. Model fit indices (CMIN/df = 2.34, RMSEA = 0.063) indicated an acceptable model fit. The main identified components included transparency in digital reporting, digital interaction and communication with stakeholders, transparency in digital banking processes, data protection and customer privacy, digital education and empowerment of customers, transparency of sustainability and social responsibility in digital products, use of emerging technologies for transparency, monitoring and evaluation of digital social responsibility, and digital social and ethical responsibilities. The results showed that transparency in digital reporting and banking processes are strengths of Resalat Qard al-Hasan Bank, whereas transparency in sustainability-related social responsibility demonstrates a relative weakness. Other components exhibited moderate performance. This framework can contribute to improving trust and brand image.
Downloads
References
[1] E. Garriga and D. Melé, "Corporate social responsibility theories: Mapping the territory," Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 53, no. 1-2, pp. 51-71, 2004, doi: 10.1023/B:BUSI.0000039399.90587.34.
[2] M. C. Jensen and W. H. Meckling, "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 305-360, 1976, doi: 10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X.
[3] K. Walker, "A systematic review of the corporate reputation literature: Definition, measurement, and theory," Corporate Reputation Review, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 357-387, 2010, doi: 10.1057/crr.2009.26.
[4] R. K. Mitchell, B. R. Agle, and D. J. Wood, "Toward a theory of stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts," Academy of Management Review, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 853-886, 1997, doi: 10.2307/259247.
[5] P. Madsen, "Dynamic transparency, prudential justice, and corporate transformation: Becoming socially responsible in the internet age," Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 90, no. Suppl 4, pp. 639-648, 2009, doi: 10.1007/s10551-010-0597-8.
[6] Ø. Ihlen, J. L. Bartlett, and S. May, The handbook of communication and corporate social responsibility. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
[7] M. Aksu and A. Kosedag, "Transparency and disclosure scores and their determinants in the Istanbul Stock Exchange," Corporate Governance: An International Review, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 277-296, 2006, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8683.2006.00507.x.
[8] S. Y. Cho, C. Lee, and R. J. Pfeiffer Jr, "Corporate social responsibility performance and information asymmetry," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 71-83, 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2012.10.005.
[9] J. G. Frynas, "Corporate social responsibility and societal governance: Lessons from transparency in the oil and gas sector," Journal of business ethics, vol. 93, no. Suppl 2, pp. 163-179, 2010, doi: 10.1007/s10551-010-0559-1.
[10] Y. Wu, K. Zhang, and J. Xie, "Bad greenwashing, good greenwashing: Corporate social responsibility and information transparency," Management Science, vol. 66, no. 7, pp. 3095-3112, 2020, doi: 10.1287/mnsc.2019.3340.
[11] M. Kiliç, "Online corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure in the banking industry: Evidence from Turkey," International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 550-569, 2016, doi: 10.1108/IJBM-04-2015-0060.
[12] Ł. Matuszak and E. Różańska, "Online corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure in the banking industry: Evidence from Poland," Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 16, no. 8, 2019, doi: 10.1108/SRJ-11-2018-0303.
[13] G. Cheng et al., "The relationship between csr communication on social media, purchase intention, and e-wom in the banking sector of an emerging economy," Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 1025-1041, 2021, doi: 10.3390/jtaer16040058.
[14] S. Gupta, N. Nawaz, A. Tripathi, S. Muneer, and N. Ahmad, "Using social media as a medium for CSR communication, to induce consumer-brand relationship in the banking sector of a developing economy," Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 7, p. 3700, 2021, doi: 10.3390/su13073700.
[15] P. Gómez-Carrasco, E. Guillamón-Saorín, and B. García Osma, "Stakeholders versus firm communication in social media: The case of Twitter and corporate social responsibility information," European Accounting Review, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 31-62, 2021, doi: 10.1080/09638180.2019.1708428.
[16] J. Kang and G. Hustvedt, "Building trust between consumers and corporations: The role of consumer perceptions of transparency and social responsibility," Journal of business ethics, vol. 125, pp. 253-265, 2014, doi: 10.1007/s10551-013-1916-7.
[17] M. D. Odriozola and E. Baraibar-Diez, "Is corporate reputation associated with quality of CSR reporting? Evidence from Spain," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 121-132, 2017, doi: 10.1002/csr.1399.
[18] E. De Quevedo-Puente, J. M. de la Fuente, and J. B. Delgado, "Reputación corporativa y creación de valor: Marco teórico de una relación circular," Investigaciones Europeas de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 81-97, 2005.
[19] E. Baraibar-Diez and L. L. Sotorrío, "The mediating effect of transparency in the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate reputation," Revista brasileira de gestão de negócios, vol. 20, pp. 05-21, 2018, doi: 10.7819/rbgn.v20i1.3600.
[20] A. Alsharari, M. Toukabri, and A. Shili, "The social media and CSR effects on loyalty towards banking services," Journal of Ecohumanism, vol. 3, no. 8, p. 9841, 2024, doi: 10.62754/joe.v3i8.5596.
[21] C. X. Phan, L. V. Le, D. Duong, and T. C. Phan, "The impact of corporate social responsibility on brand image: A case study in Vietnam," The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 423-431, 2021.
[22] S. Budiman, "The effect of social media on brand image and brand loyalty in generation Y," The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 1339-1347, 2021.
[23] M. Huda, L. Sutopo, Liberty, Febrianto, and M. C. Mustafa, "Digital information transparency for cyber security: critical points in social media trends," in Future of Information and Communication Conference, 2022, pp. 814-831, doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-98015-3_55.
[24] B. Mueller, "Corporate digital responsibility," Business & Information Systems Engineering, vol. 64, no. 6, pp. 689-700, 2022, doi: 10.1007/s12599-022-00760-0.
[25] C. J. Herden and et al., "Corporate digital responsibility," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 13-29, 2021, doi: 10.1007/s00550-020-00509-x.
[26] J. Van der Merwe and Z. Al Achkar, "Data responsibility, corporate social responsibility, and corporate digital responsibility," Data & Policy, vol. 4, p. e12, 2022, doi: 10.1017/dap.2022.2.
[27] S. M. Yamuna and C. P. Madhuvarsini, Ethical Data Practices In The Digital Age: Ensuring Privacy, Transparency, And Accountability. PSG College of Arts & Science, 2025.
[28] Y. Ren, X. Liu, and Y. Zhu, "Can the development of digital finance and information transparency improve enterprise investment efficiency?," Finance Research Letters, vol. 73, p. 106597, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.106597.
[29] Z. Wu and Y. Dai, "Signal of Financial or Performance Transparency? The Impact and Mechanisms of Nonprofit Transparency on Donation Willingness," Public Performance & Management Review, pp. 1-30, 2025, doi: 10.1080/15309576.2025.2465750.
[30] M. Hendijani Zadeh, "The effect of corporate social responsibility transparency on corporate payout policies," International Journal of Managerial Finance, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 708-732, 2021, doi: 10.1108/IJMF-07-2020-0386.
[31] M. Hendijani Zadeh, M. Magnan, D. Cormier, and A. Hammami, "Does corporate social responsibility transparency mitigate corporate cash holdings?," International Journal of Managerial Finance, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 63-87, 2023, doi: 10.1108/IJMF-07-2021-0339.
[32] S. Watts, "Corporate social responsibility reporting platforms: Enabling transparency for accountability," Information Technology and Management, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 19-35, 2015, doi: 10.1007/s10799-014-0192-2.
[33] A. Reid and E. Ringel, "Digital intermediaries and transparency reports as strategic communications," The Information Society, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 91-109, 2025, doi: 10.1080/01972243.2025.2453529.
[34] A. Reid, E. Ringel, and S. M. Pendleton, "Transparency reports as CSR reports: motives, stakeholders, and strategies," Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 81-107, 2024, doi: 10.1108/SRJ-03-2023-0134.
[35] Z. Chen, X. Ji, M. Li, and J. Li, "How corporate social responsibility auditing interacts with supply chain information transparency," Annals of Operations Research, vol. 329, no. 1, pp. 1221-1240, 2023, doi: 10.1007/s10479-022-04601-x.
[36] Y. Liu, M. Heinberg, X. Huang, and A. B. Eisingerich, "Building a competitive advantage based on transparency: when and why does transparency matter for corporate social responsibility?," Business horizons, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 517-527, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2022.10.004.
[37] H. Uvet, A. Park, J. Dickens, J. Oh, and B. Hazen, "How blockchain technology utilization influences corporate social responsibility through supply chain transparency and the role of supplier risk," The International Journal of Logistics Management, 2025, doi: 10.1108/IJLM-04-2024-0245.
[38] F. O. Martínez-Ríos, J. A. Marmolejo-Saucedo, and G. Abascal-Olascoaga, "A new protocol based on blockchain technology for transparent operation of corporate social responsibility," in Strategy, power and CSR: Practices and challenges in organizational management: Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020, pp. 205-233.
[39] G. Reischauer, T. Hess, T. Sellhorn, and E. Theissen, "Transparency in an Age of Digitalization and Responsibility," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, vol. 76, no. 4, pp. 483-494, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s41471-024-00203-4.
[40] M. Haroon, M. Ullah, Z. Li, S. Zhu, J. Wang, and C. P. E. Hsueh, "Impact of emerging technologies on corporate social responsibility in mining industry," Resources Policy, vol. 102, p. 105454, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105454.
[41] Z. Niu, C. Wang, C. Wang, X. Wang, and Z. Zhu, "Information interactions on social media platforms and the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 234-252, 2025, doi: 10.1002/csr.2954.
[42] A. Lee and T. L. D. Chung, "Transparency in corporate social responsibility communication on social media," International journal of retail & distribution management, vol. 51, no. 5, pp. 590-610, 2023, doi: 10.1108/IJRDM-01-2022-0038.
[43] R. Sharma, "The influence of social media corporate social responsibility communication on consumer-brand identification and electronic word of mouth in the banking sector: The moderating role of user-generated content," Management and Labour Studies, 2025, doi: 10.1177/0258042X241307377.
[44] M. Jiang, N. Ahmad, M. Z. Arshad, and C. Liu, "From digital corporate social responsibility (CSR) to consumer voice: Shaping CSR-specific electronic word of mouth in hospitality industry," Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 574-607, 2025, doi: 10.1080/19368623.2025.2449860.
[45] A. N. Permatasari, E. Soelistiyowati, I. G. A. P. P. Suastami, and R. A. Johan, "Digital public relations: trend and required skills," Jurnal Aspikom, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 373-386, 2021, doi: 10.24329/aspikom.v6i2.836.
[46] M. Zakaria, C. Aoun, and D. Liginlal, "Objective sustainability assessment in the digital economy: An information entropy measure of transparency in corporate sustainability reporting," Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 3, p. 1054, 2021, doi: 10.3390/su13031054.
[47] R. Sari and M. Muslim, "Corporate Transparency and Environmental Reporting: Trends and Benefits," Amkop Management Accounting Review (AMAR), vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 1-18, 2024, doi: 10.37531/amar.v4i1.1448.
[48] M. Á. Alcaide González, E. De La Poza Plaza, and N. Guadalajara Olmeda, "The impact of corporate social responsibility transparency on the financial performance, brand value, and sustainability level of IT companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 642-654, 2020, doi: 10.1002/csr.1829.
[49] H. J. Park and M. H. Ha, "Corporate social responsibility and earnings transparency: Evidence from Korea," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 1498-1508, 2020, doi: 10.1002/csr.1922.
[50] M. Heinberg, Y. Liu, X. Huang, and A. B. Eisingerich, "A bad job of doing good: does corporate transparency on a country and company level moderate corporate social responsibility effectiveness?," Journal of International Marketing, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 45-61, 2021, doi: 10.1177/1069031X20981870.
[51] H. Heim, "Digital fashion revolutions: supply chain transparency, digitalization and the non-disclosure paradox," Fashion Practice, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 329-351, 2022, doi: 10.1080/17569370.2022.2118975.
[52] A. S. Mattila, L. Hanks, and E. E. K. Kim, "The impact of company type and corporate social responsibility messaging on consumer perceptions," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, vol. 15, pp. 126-135, 2010, doi: 10.1057/fsm.2010.10.
[53] P. Hohnen and J. Potts, Corporate social responsibility. An implementation guide for business. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2007.
[54] C. Reverte, "Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure ratings by Spanish listed firms," Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 351-366, 2009, doi: 10.1007/s10551-008-9968-9.
[55] J. J. Wild and J. M. Wild, "Corporate social responsibility and disclosure transparency," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 2023, doi: 10.1108/JFRA-08-2022-0309.
[56] S. Singh, "Corporate Responsibility: Transparency and Disclosure," ed, 2024.
[57] K. Elliott et al., "Towards an equitable digital society: artificial intelligence (AI) and corporate digital responsibility (CDR)," Society, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 179-188, 2021, doi: 10.1007/s12115-021-00594-8.
[58] M. Dehghani Soltani, A. Shiri, T. Nesari, and M. Raoufi, "The role of social media, transparency and social responsibility in promoting business performance of travel and tourism services companies," Tourism Management Studies, vol. 13, no. 43, pp. 141-169, 2018.
[59] R. Saner, L. Yiu, and M. Nguyen, "Monitoring the SDGs: Digital and social technologies to ensure citizen participation, inclusiveness and transparency," Development policy review, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 483-500, 2020, doi: 10.1111/dpr.12433.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Masood Kermani, Mohammad Reza Karimi Kundazi, AbdolRahim Rahimi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
